Trap-door for mines.



No. 657,985. Patented Sept. l8, I900. A. HUBFORD.

TRAP D008 FOR MINES.

. (Application filed. Nov. 4, 1897.)

(No Model.) .2 Sheets-Sheet l.

III/III,

W/TNEES M INVENTZJR X 444% if r;

Atlarmg s Tm: Mom-us mans c0. vnoraumou WASMlNGTDmBC.

No. 657,985. Patented Sept. I8, 1900. A. HURFOBD.

TRAP DOOR FOR MINES.

(Application filed Nov. 4, 1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet z.

WITNESSES J INVENTOR {it new: PETERS co. mmo' uwm msmnm'cn. n. c.

UNITED STATES rATENr Genres;

ALVIN HURFORD, OF CANTON, OHIO.

TRAP-DOOR FOR MIN ES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,985, dated September 18, 1960.

Application filed November 4, 1897. Serial No. 657,319. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN HURFORD, of Canton, Stark county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trap-Doors for Mines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it little as possible with said ventilating system,

it is necessary that the trap-doors be rapidly opened and closed at the time of the passage therethrough of the numerous cars and teams employed in hauling the products of the mine. By my improved mechanism, as will be hereinafter seen, the desired results in the operation of said doors are cheaply and effectually obtained, said mechanism comprising, essentially, a piston working and guided in a suitable cylinder and operated bysteam, air, or hydraulic power, means for connecting said piston with the door or curtain to be operated, and automatic devices adapted to be operated by the passage of a car or team, whereby the supply of steam, air, water, or other motive power to said cylinder and piston is regulated. r

In carrying out my inventionI preferably use a flexible curtain of such length and width as effectually to close or trap a mine passage-way.

In the drawings, Figure I is a View in elevation illustrating the door and method of operating the same. Fig. II is a View in side elevation illustrating more clearly the mechanism employed. Figs. III and IV illustrate details of construction; and Fig. Villustrates the trip devices secured to the track and the connection between the same and the valve which controls the supply of steam, air, or water to the operating-cylinder.

In the drawings, A A representpostslocated, respectively, at' each side of a mine passage-way. These posts A A are braced or supported in any suitable manner to keep them in proper upright position, as by cross beams or otherwise, and form the framework for supporting the roller or winding-drum O, to which is secured one end of the flexible door or curtain D, arranged to wind or roll thereon. By the use of this flexible curtain I find that I obtain a light and easily operated trap or door not liable to get out of order. The roller or drum Cis suitably journaled at each end, respectively, in bearings B 13 ,10- cated at the upper part of framework A A.

D represents a weight, preferably in the form of a rod, secured to the lower or free end of curtain D- This rod D, as shown in the drawings, is secured to the lower end of the curtain by forming a hem at the bottom of the curtain and inserting the rod therein; but it may be attached thereto in any suitable manner.

E represents a pinion rigidly secured to shaft G.

F represents a rack adapted to mesh with pinion E, and by its reciprocating movement,

as hereinafter described, it revolves the pinion and roller 0, and thus raises or lowers curtain D.

F represents a housing which forms a guide for said rack F. This housing or guide F is preferably secured to post A opposite the point of contact between rack F and pinion E in such a manner as to permit the freeengagement of the same and maintain their operative relation.

G illustrates apiston-rod attached at its lower end to a suitable piston (not shown in.

the drawings) operating in cylinder H. The piston-rod G is pivotally attached, as at f, to rack F, and hence it will be seen that as the piston-rod G is reciprocated the rack F moves in the same direction, asillustrated in Fig. I of the drawings, and said rack F, as hereinbefore set forth, operates the pinion E and curtain-roller C, thus raising'the curtain D, opening the trap, and allowing the car to pass through.

Attached to the lower end of the cylinder H is a pipe H, communicating with the interior of said cylinder beneath the piston, to

which is secured the lower end of the pistonrod G. This pipe H acts as a conveyer and feeder to supply the cylinder H and operate the piston. This medium may be steam, air, water, or the like.

1-] represents a valve properly located in pipe H. The valve H is intended to control the medium air, steam, water, or the likepassing through pipe II and into cylinder II.

it represents a lever by means of which the valve H is opened or closed.

J represents a track upon which the carwheels run, the said car-wheels being provided with the usual tread and flange, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. I.

K represents a curved lever located in juxtaposition to the track J and pivotally attached to the said track by means of a shaft k, which passes through the vertical part of the track J. A collar or bushing is provided between the lever K and the track, as shown in Fig. I, and another collar or bushing is provided on the outside of the shaft is. This arrangement keeps the lever K in proper position relative to the track and at the same time allows it to oscillate freely.

L represents a crank-lever secured to the outer end of the shaft 70 in such a manner as to operate said shaft, and thus operate the lever K or be operated by the lever K, as the case may be.

M represents a pitman pivotally secured to the outer end of the lever L.

N represents a spring secured at one end to the lever L and at its opposite end toa tie or other suitable connection or holding device. The function of the spring N is to retract the lever L after it has been raised by the car-wheel passing over the lever K and bring the lever L, and with it the lever K, to the position indicated in Fig. IV of the drawings. \Vhen the lever K and the cranklever L and its attached pitman are in the position shown in Fig. IV, the valve H is shutoif or closed, and when the lever K is depressed it operates through lever L and pitman M to open valve H This is accomplished through a suitable connection of levers and rods. (Illustrated more clearly in Fig. V of the drawings.) The location of the curved lever K and its attached parts should be some distance along the track or passage before the trap is reached. Two track-levers and connecting devices or apparatus, like the construction shown in Fig. IV, for engaging the wheel of the car are preferably employed and located at both sides of the trap, and thus it will be seen that a car or train when passing toward the trap in either direction will operate, as hereinbefore described, to raise 1 the curtain.

It will of course be understood that suitable connecting rods and levers communicate or intervene between the pitman M and handle of the valve H and these connecting devices are so arranged as to cause both trip-levers at either side of the curtain or shaft to operate in like manner and also to cause either or both of them to open valve H and raise the curtain D.

In order to allow the curtain D to descend or unroll from roller 0 after the car or train has passed through the trap-door, I provide a relief valve or cock h, located either in the cylinder H, behind the piston, or located in pipe I-I, between valve H and the cylinder H. This valve 72/ is so adjusted as to allow the air, steam, water, or like motive fluid to escape slowly, and thus allow the piston to return to its normal position, which allows the curtain to slowly unroll and close the trap. The curtain being weighted and the actuating fluid being shut off, the weighted curtain acts through the roller C, pinion E, rack F, and piston-rod G and its attached piston to force the operating fluid through the cock h. The object in allowing the curtain to unroll slowly is to prevent its descent before the cars have passed it.

What I claim is In a mine trap-door or curtain-operating device, the combination with a roller and ourtain, of a pinion on said roller, a cylinder and piston, a rack operated by the piston, a supply-valve for said cylinder, and means for controlling said valve, comprising a lever pivotally secured upon one end of a rock-shaft mounted in proximity to the track-rail, a crank-arm on the opposite end of the shaft, and a spring located below said crank-arm, and a pitlnan connecting said crank-arm to the valve-operating rod.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this 15th day of October, 1897.

ALVIN I-IURFORD.

Witnesses:

ELLA E. TILDEN, J. L. WARD HOOVER. 

